Building a Strong Academic Foundation in Early Childhood

September 24, 2018

At Léman's Center for Early Childhood Education, our youngest students are engaged in hands-on learning experiences that set the foundation for future academic success. Located on the 3rd and 4th floors of our 41 Broad Street campus, the Center for Early Childhood Education (CECE) was renovated in the summer of 2017 after a year-long study of best practices in school design to provide an ideal learning environment for young children and to accommodate the growing interest in Léman's program from neighborhood families. Enrollment in the CECE has more than doubled in the past two academic years.

Last week, we welcomed five homerooms of Léman Explorers students for their first school experience. Accompanied by their grown ups, they delighted in exploring new materials in their classrooms and forming bonds with their teachers. This class-based toddler program for 16 to 36 month olds introduces the routines of preschool and helps children build the socialization and independence they need for success in a preschool environment.

Our PreK2 students have been focused on fine motor skill development through drawing and building with small manipulatives. In addition, in reading books with their teachers, students have been identifying characters' feelings (sad, happy, excited), part of the program's focus on social-emotional development.

PreK3 is studying the Native American Cree culture for the next six weeks, sharing their observations and learnings about this beautiful heritage. PreK4 has started a theme study on Earth, an inquiry-based unit that investigates living vs. non-living things. Kindergarten students have already established themselves as writers, starting each Monday morning reporting their "Weekend News." With Columbia University Teachers College Readers and Writers Workshop as the foundation of our literacy instruction, our K students are certain to flourish this year as readers and writers.